There was a time before the technological and internet age where a typical person would wake up in the mornings, walk outside to find the newspaper settled on the front lawn and read the latest news from all around the world with a steaming cup of coffee. The newspaper, a prominent tool back in the day, may have seemed likely to never disappear, but as technology is becoming more favored throughout the world today, the print newspaper may be starting to vanish.

In the 1950s, the television was introduced, beginning the decline of newspapers which was a daily source of news. However, the breakthrough of the internet in the 1990s promptly increased the diversity of media choices available to the average reader. This further diminished the fundamental tool of the newspaper, a once dominant source of news. Since then, television and the internet have brought news to the people in a quicker and more efficient way than ever before. The internet also took a step further by depreciating advertisements, the main source of income for newspapers.

Data from journalism.org shows that the year 1990 had the highest number of U.S. daily newspapers, circulating at 62,635,000 issues. From 1940-1991, the weekly newspaper proved to be the most popular. Since then, the newspaper shows to be most popular on Sundays, even to this day. Despite newspapers decreasing at a slow but steady rate, their total revenue has spiked since the beginning of the 21st Century, a time where they also began to be published on the internet more frequently. This rise in income comes from an increase in revenue from digital advertising. In 2017, 31 percent of newspaper revenue came from digital advertising. By March 2018, it was acknowledged that the digital circulation for major newspapers was declining as well, leading to beliefs that the entire newspaper industry in the United States was dying off.

The diminishing newspaper industry has taken a toll on the people who work hard to produce a functioning news source and bring it to its readers every morning. A recent report by the World Association of Newspapers and Newspaper Publishers says that more than 166 U.S. newspapers have stopped printing their newspapers or have closed down since 2008. According to the Pew Research Center, at least 36 percent of the largest newspapers across the U.S. such as the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, as well as at least 23 percent of the highest digital news outlets, experienced layoffs between January 2017 and April 2018. Circulation for once-promising news sources such as Buzzfeed, Vice and Vox declined in 2017 and 2018 as well.

Several initiatives have been taken in order to not let newspapers die out completely. In 2013, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, paid 250 million dollars for the Washington Post and several smaller newspapers. What seems to be an unpromising future for the newspaper industry is not universal. In some countries such as India, the newspaper remains more popular than the internet and broadcast media. Additionally, in America and Europe, there have been recent successful rises of free daily newspapers such as Sweden’s Metro International paper.

With revenues plummeting of the most influential news sources, companies have been forced to reduce news bureaus and journalists while still attempting to publish popular content that will please their readers and bring income. The reduction of staff as well as editorial content has led newspapers to be in a vicious cycle that initiates deeper declines throughout overall newspaper production.

The first newspaper in the New World, Publick Occurrences was published in 1690 in Boston, Massachusetts. Newspapers have been part of the American culture from the beginning and have always been an influential source of news and communication for people around the nation. The fact that newspapers are quickly receding today is a phenomenon that people just a couple decades ago never thought would happen. Whether it be from the television, radio, smartphone or the old-fashioned paper the choice of getting the news lies in the hands of the reader. Just remember the next time you see the newspaper on your front lawn, or you are holding it in your hand like this one, you are witnessing the hard work of countless people over the course of many generations that hope to leave a lasting legacy on all its readers.

What do you teach? I teach Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature as well as AP Language and Composition.

Why did you decide to teach? I chose to teach because school has always been a wondrous place for me. Because of the way I felt and still feel, I wanted to help kids feel the wonder of it and realize education takes us places we can only dream of sometimes, especially English.

Where did you go to college? I went to Texas A&M in College Station.

What made you want to teach English? I love telling stories from the past and the present. I want to be a part of the stories in the future; English is what allows me to do that.

What was your favorite part of high school when you went? My favorite part of high school was going to English and Russian classes.

What is your favorite part of teaching at West? My favorite part of being a teacher is being able to meet other teachers who are like-minded and teaching students who keep me on my toes all the time.

What are your favorite hobbies/things to do on the weekend? During my free time I like to read a lot and I also enjoy spending time with my family.

What has been your favorite place you have traveled to? My favorite place that I have traveled to is Boston.

If you could have another career what would it be? If I could have any other career, I would be a writer and/or a librarian in charge of rare books in a university.

When did you start teaching at West? I have been at West since all 2001.

Excitement fills the air in G building after a long day for students who plan to pursue their passion in the medical field. Whether it be to become dentists, pediatricians or surgeons, these students have a strong determination to reach their dream through participation in a medically influenced organization.

“Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) is an organization dedicated to providing its members with exposure to the field of healthcare,” president of HOSA, senior Rojon Sangani said. “We do this through community service, guest speakers, competition and various other activities.”

HOSA is a program focused on leadership development, motivation and recognition. It is exclusively made for students from high school to college enrolled in health science education and biomedical science programs or have interests in pursuing careers in health professions.

“This club will aid me and other members to be introduced into the medical field at an early age,” vice president of competition, senior Catherine Pearson said. “Being in HOSA, I know I am going to gain more knowledge about the medical field and get more involved in the community.”

There are approximately 80 students that are a part of HOSA currently. Created in 1976, the program is an international student organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Education Division.

“My favorite part of being a sponsor is helping students be successful in HOSA competition,” sponsor Kayla Kellar said. “I was in HOSA when I was in high school and I want students to experience everything HOSA has to offer just like I did because it is such an amazing experience.”

There are many different purposes of HOSA. It serves to give exposure of the medical field to students as well as give them volunteer opportunities and the possibility to work directly within the community.

“I want members to be able to understand that they can have an impact on the people around them” Pearson said. “My favorite part of the club is being able to help people that need medical attention, while also learning skills that will help me in the future.”

HOSA has various different types of volunteer work its members can do in order to accommodate all its member’s likes.

“I really hope that members can experience the reward that comes with long-term volunteering and not feel it is a chore but a rewarding activity,” Sangani said. “I will soon be launching a new method which will contain carefully selected volunteer locations for people that like different things such as animals, nursing homes or hospitals.”

The organization holds many activities throughout the year to benefit those in need in the community. One of HOSA’s main goals is to ensure its members work hard toward giving medical help to anyone in need.

“We have about two drives every nine weeks, which is something I hope to start doing more often,” Sangani said. “Our past two were our craft drive for Presbyterian Hospital and our Halloween drive for Children’s Hospital. This allows us to really give back to the community while getting our members more involved with hands-on stuff like goodie bag making and blanket making for Children’s Hospital.”

Once a month, HOSA meets to discuss projects, updates on the volunteering and a first hand look at what being in the medical field is like.

“A meeting includes service project information and typically a guest speaker that is a healthcare professional in the community,” Kellar said. “I want students to be exposed to a variety of healthcare professions through HOSA as well as gain connections to great volunteer and shadowing opportunities in local hospitals, clinics and nursing homes through our service projects.”

Later this year, the organization will compete in a series of competitions to determine their knowledge of the medical field, and what they have learned by being members of the club.

“We have HOSA competition every year which has a wide variety of events,” Sangani said. “Some examples are medical spelling, biomedical debate, HOSA bowl and community awareness to name a few.”

HOSA holds a mission to promote career opportunities in the healthcare industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.

“With their membership in HOSA, I know students will get sufficient exposure to the medical field in order to help them in their future endeavors,” Sangani said. When I see people from my community smile after we help them, I know that we made a difference in their lives and that is what HOSA is all about.”

]]>https://www.pwshblueprints.com/top-stories/2019/03/01/students-initiate-change-in-the-medical-community/feed/0OPINION: The Media Should do a Better Job When Reporting on Tragedieshttps://www.pwshblueprints.com/opinions/2019/03/01/opinion-the-media-should-do-a-better-job-when-reporting-on-tragedies/
https://www.pwshblueprints.com/opinions/2019/03/01/opinion-the-media-should-do-a-better-job-when-reporting-on-tragedies/#respondFri, 01 Mar 2019 19:13:55 +0000https://www.pwshblueprints.com/?p=8863

April 20, 1997. Sept. 11, 2001. Dec. 14, 2012. Feb. 14, 2018. These are only a few of the dates where the world stood in horror as they watched tragedy unfold on television in front of them. In the past decade, media coverage has risen with access to new technology, allowing the entire world to attain information on the latest events in a matter of seconds. However, media coverage is far from perfect. In response to tragedy, the media has evolved into a system where myth passes as fact, victims of shootings become tools to increase ratings and a place to facilitate hate.

On April 20, 1997, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris shot 13 people at the high school they attended. The mass school shooting shocked the country as the media updated their audience every second with their live coverage. In Dave Cullen’s nonfiction book, Columbine, he documents how news broadcasters took calls from students at the school to give viewers inside access to the chaos happening at Columbine High School despite the danger and risk it may have imposed to the students trapped inside the school. In the days after the shooting, the media passed a narrative about Harris and Klebold on how they were troubled, bullied youths and supposedly part of an outcast group called the Trench Coat Mafia. However, in his book Cullen explores how the media passed untrue stories about the killers and the victims that would continue to be believed as fact to this day. Klebold and Harris were not part of the Trench Coat Mafia, nor were they bullied or even outcasts. In fact, they had an extensive friend circle, attended social events like prom, and were seen as attractive and funny. The media has the power to inform the millions, yet when the media responds in haste, misconceptions can occur leaving the truth completely buried under myth.

One of the worst terrorist attacks humanity witnessed occurred on Sept. 11, 2001. However, the world watched as something more hateful unfolded months after the attacks. Following the terrorist attack, the media began to publish headlines that indirectly created a negative outlook on Muslims and added to feelings of Islamophobia. In a study done by Cardiff University in Wales, United Kingdom, researchers found that post 9/11, the majority of news coverage portrayed Muslims in a negative light. Upon further research, they discovered that about two-thirds of newspaper articles on British Muslims were focused on terrorism and that adjectives like “radical” and “fanatical” were used to describe Muslims. While the media post 9/11 could have used their influence to bring the world together, news coverage after 9/11 generated an unwarranted link between Muslims and terrorism.

The media also seems to lack sensitivity in times of tragedy. After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, media outlets like CNN and NBC began broadcasting interviews with the children, moments after the shooting. Child psychologist, Donna Gaffney, says that the first 24 hours after an event like a shooting is when a child needs to be with people that love and support them. Hearing stories from victims can give a clearer understanding on the event or bring forth action, yet forcing a camera in front of a child seconds after the rescue is cruel and can cause a negative impact. Victims of tragedy, especially children, have become tools the media uses to gather ratings.

The media can surround us at any second or any place. Its power and influence stretches across oceans and foreign lands. Every day, the media presence grows stronger in our lives, yet as media coverage increases, the news should not have to compromise on integrity and sympathy.

The term buddies for life really comes to reality when you hear about this club. It is a place where everyone has a friend. There is always someone to rely on and you make memories that last a lifetime. Who would not want to be apart of it? The Best Buddies Program is a year-round club where many different high schools around the nation offer students one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The peers and buddies that pass through this club leave with some of the best of friends and greatest of times.

Senior Grace Selner, who is a peer buddy for her second year now has adored this program and just ran as secretary of the club.

“I just love that you get to make friends with a lot of people that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to see at school,” Selner said. “You get to form these friendships that are really awesome.”

In the club, you are paired up with a buddy, and make a year-long commitment to friendship. Once paired up, which is done by matching similar characteristics, you hang out and get together multiple times throughout the year.

Senior and president of Best Buddies, Sophie Katz, explained some of the fun activities she participated in with her buddy from last year.

“We go to the movies, have ice cream, just hang out, any sort of thing to make us bond and for us to grow closer,” Katz said. “Once a month, we have a big event with the entire club, normally for things like Valentine’s Day, or Thanksgiving, and pretty much just the holiday around the month.”

What makes a good buddy is someone who is very compassionate and patient. You need to be open to new ideas and perspectives. Club advisor, Daniel Cox, describes the Best Buddies Club as having fun and making friendships.

When he was asked about his views on the program and how he became the advisor, he was not shy to share his devotion.

“The opportunity came to me my first year, and the club needed additional help during the prom,” Cox said. “After seeing how the event was and how happy the kids were, I knew they needed a new sponsor next year so I just jumped on it.”

Mr. Cox is a special education teacher and loves what he does. He began teaching special education students in his college years.

“When I was substituting during college, every class I subbed for was Special Ed or ESL, and, I felt more rewarded with them,” Cox said.

Senior Kat Smith has loved this program so much, she signed up again. Her favorite part about Best Buddies was the Halloween party in which she and her two buddies dressed up as Monsters Inc. characters. She also really enjoys eating and hanging out with her buddies.

This program has not only allowed the buddies to grow exponentially, but the peers as well. Because of this program, many of them are planning on continuing to work or even pursue a career with students with special needs to help and support them later on.

When Selner and Katz were asked about their futures, they had Best Buddies to thank.

“I want to be a neurosurgeon when I grow up,” Katz said. “I want to be able to help fix autism and different kinks in the brain.”

Additionally, Selner pointed out that she is curious about the medical field as well and how it is definitely on her radar.

Because of this program, kids all around the school are growing and shaping into amazing and compassionate people. This club will brighten your day like no other.

“It’s amazing seeing overtime how the members grow not only as a person but as a part of the community,” Cox said. “It’s really just feeling the part and just being happy with everything that’s going on. Just seeing them smile is what makes it worth everything that’s apart of the club.”

]]>https://www.pwshblueprints.com/features/2019/03/01/the-best-pair-of-buddies-a-lifelong-friendship/feed/0Habitat Changing the Community for the Betterhttps://www.pwshblueprints.com/features/2019/02/28/habitat-changing-the-community-for-the-better/
https://www.pwshblueprints.com/features/2019/02/28/habitat-changing-the-community-for-the-better/#respondThu, 28 Feb 2019 20:07:46 +0000https://www.pwshblueprints.com/?p=8853

In Habitat for Humanity, students are given the opportunity to participate in the construction of housing for less fortunate families. Club members are involved in every step of the process, from fundraising for materials to the actual construction of the homes. Students get to see a different side of the community from a new perspective.

“They utilize volunteering and donations to pay for the materials,” secretary Jason Tan said. “Then the families that apply for the lower-cost housing also help build houses for other people. Instead of funding all the costs of the house, they can pay their way towards a house by helping Habitat.”

Co- presidents Eve Dauber and Sana Hairadin have been part of Habitat for Humanity since their freshman years.

“We decided that we wanted to be co presidents instead of vice president and president because we have worked so well together for multiple years,” Daubert said. “We have eleven officers, some seniors and some juniors.”

Homes are built to make sure almost all of the costs are minimized for low income families.

“We raise money and build houses with zero equivalent interest on the mortgages in order to broaden affordable housing,” Hairadin said. “Habitat for Humanity is a national and non-profit organization.”

The unique organization caught the eyes of the officers and encouraged them to become more involved.

“I was really inspired by their business model,” Tan said. “It is important to have a certain energy when it comes to what you do.”

Habitat for Humanity gives the families an opportunity to connect with their community.

“I thought it was so amazing that volunteers were actually building homes for others,” Daubert said. “I really liked that the club really integrates the family that they are building the home for into the project. Any day that you are there for the build they are also there helping out. It really helps promote integration and thoughtful volunteering.”

The club hosts fundraisers throughout the year that go towards the materials for builds. They are constantly around the community looking for new ways to raise money for the cause.

“For our chapter for high schoolers, we usually raise money for the actual build for the materials,” Hairadin said. “In February, we are doing Carnations for a Cause, where we sell carnations to the students. We do car washes and bake sales and all the proceeds go to the build.

The club is always looking for new ways to get everyone involved in the construction process.

“We do a profit share with Kung Fu Tea,” Dauber said. “We get 15 percent of the profit from orders and we sell baked goods that have been donated by club members. This year we did a Halloween bake sale, and a lot of different people donated. We got Shepton and Jasper involved as well so we could integrate.”

Habitat for Humanity gives less fortunate families a second chance to make a better life for themselves.

“It made me appreciate how hard they work and how I should not take things for granted,” Tan said. “Habitat is able to help uplift people, give them a second chance and give them a stable home so they can kind of get their lives back on track.”

The club is a way for students to volunteer in their community.

“I want to make sure that all of our club members understand the impact that they are making in the community,” Dauber said. “We make an impact in the community through our donations and with the power of all the volunteers that we have.”

Voices are heard, melodies are played and the choir sings all throughout the day in C building. The school choir, which consists of 150 people, attend their designated classes each day, making music and performing for events and competitions throughout the year.

“I have always had a passion for singing and joining choir was kind of one of those gut feelings where I knew I was in the right place,” Acapella Mixed Group student director Chetan Moghe said.“ I am basically in charge of being responsible for my group, for example the music they learn and also helping to coordinate events. I am the person they go to if they need help with anything.”

The choir is divided into several different sections, each with their own specific types of singing and events.

“There are four Plano West Choirs, our third period Mixed Chorale, fourth period Women’s Choir, and our specialty auditioned groups, Rhapsody, which is the women’s ensemble, and Syncopation, the mixed group,” Plano West Choir’s Social Media Chair Grace Yu said. “All of our choirs compete at the varsity level and perform advanced collegiate pieces.”

The choir has many leaders, some being students and others of course are the teachers.

“I really love high school students and I think senior high is such a pivotal time of life,” Choir Teacher Sarah Council said. “I have always had a deep connection with choral music study, so teaching high school choir was a really natural choice for me. I was a student in Plano, and I had incredible teachers who really inspired me down this path; one being the other choir teacher, Ms. Hackett.”

The choir has had several events and competitions throughout the year especially with the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA). Through four competitive auditions first semester, 45 choir students were selected for Region Choir, which is more than any other school in the Region. 30 advance to the next round, Pre-Area. 15 advanced to Area, and 9 were selected for the All-State Choir. Additionally, the 85-member Plano West Chorale has been selected by the Texas Music Educators Association to perform at the convention in San Antonio on Feb. 14.

“We have had a tremendously successful year,” Council said. “This prestigious honor is one of the highest recognitions a choir can receive in the State of Texas.”

Choir students will also have the chance to compete in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) competition and solo UIL contest in April. All choirs compete against other choirs and solo UIL contest is how good a singer can rank by themselves.

“Every Spring we go to UIL and hope to get Sweepstakes,” Yu said. “Sweepstakes means receiving a one, the best score, in every category.”

Besides local events held here in Texas, the choir has a major event planned for them later on this year.

“The Plano West choirs have been selected to perform at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City in March,” Council said. “This invitation is saved for the best of the best in choirs in the country. Also on this trip, we will be able to see two Broadway shows and do several tours in New York City.”

The choir also plans several social events throughout the year.

“The Choir Council planned and executed an awesome Winter Social this past year,” Yu said. “The social had the biggest turnout of Plano West Choir history. There was lots of food and we set up a really cute photobooth and had some awesome games and competitions like a holiday outfit runway and a lip sync competition.”

Choir is one of the many extracurricular classes available at Plano West, and it is also one of the most highly regarded.

“Plano West has, without question, the best fine arts department in the state of Texas,” Council said. “All of our teachers are at the top of their individual discipline, and together we are able to offer tremendous opportunities to students in every area: Choir, Band, Jazz Band, Percussion, Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Visual Arts, Theatre and Music Theory. No other school has this many departments of such prestige and quality, and though I recognize I am really biased, I love being a West Wolf and working alongside so many master teachers.”

A typical day in choir consists of two major ensembles that meet each day, two vocal jazz ensembles, and many days we have combined rehearsals after school. They spend time working with students to prepare for auditions and solo performances.

“Our performances may seem so effortless and it is easy to think that singing is a piece of cake, but the Plano West Choir is not as successful as it is by doing nothing,” Yu said. “ We practice hard in and outside of school and are constantly pushing limits to be the best we can be. I also wish that people could get to know our awesome directors, Mrs. Hackett and Mrs. Council. They are some of the kindest, most patient educators I have ever had the pleasure of being taught by and I wish everyone had the chance to get to know them. They work so hard everyday to make sure we are at the top of our game and deserve all the recognition in the world.”

Throughout the students’ many years in choir, they have made some memorable memories alongside their friends.

“My most memorable memory was at the final round of All State last year when they were calling names,” Moghe said. “So much work went into that and when I heard my name I felt so confident of the work I put through. You could say it was blood sweat and tears.

A lot of effort is put into choir to make sure it is successful and that everyone has a good time, and the students do not fail to recognize that.

“My favorite part of choir is definitely how, through music, we are able to express ourselves and be vulnerable,” Yu said. “Every piece we sing has a different style, or different lyrics but the music always brings us together. I wish people outside of choir could see how hard we worked.

Not only do the students learn and have experiences, but the teachers do to.

“I love watching students achieve their goals whether they are individual music goals, ensemble goals, or getting into their dream school,” Council said. “ Several of our students are involved in multiple ensembles, and I love being part of and cheering on their last high school experiences. I cannot overstate how much I learn from students. Plano West is such a diverse campus and our students come from so many different backgrounds. Working with students from all different backgrounds continues to evolve my world view, teaching style, and even parenting my own son. As a former Plano West student, seeing how the choral program has grown and succeeded since the school opening brings me tremendous joy.”

As a senior, Grace Yu looks back on the impact choir has left her, and the legacy it will have on the rest of her life.

“I have always loved to sing since I was a little girl and I am glad that I chose choir because now I do it everyday,” Yu said. “ Joining choir is one of the best decisions I have ever made and I hope that other people choose it too and have the same love for it as I do.”

Choir not only has helped the students to be better at singing, it has given them skills that will help them throughout their lives, and leave a lasting impact on themselves and others.

“Everyone should do something they love and choir is what I love,” Moghe said. “I have learned discipline and respect because you have to listen to your peers not just directors. So when you open your mind to that you just become so much more mature and that really helped me so that I could be successful in coir. But overall it is a fun and loving environment and I am very grateful for that. It taught me to be a better musician not just as a singer, and I will definitely use what I learned for the rest of my life.”

Gun control is an issue people throughout the world are faced with every day. However, 10 students at Plano and Frisco high schools are looking to make an impact on keeping schools safe from potential school shootings now and in the future. To do this, these students have developed a prototype for what they hope will soon become a product called the SecureGun.

“In a growing world of heinous acts of violence occurring in our schools, it is mandatory to work towards a solution to best prevent these crimes from happening in the first place,” West senior Hanzala Rehan said. “The SecureGun, although a prototype, is a step forward into preventing these mass shootings from happening in the first place.”

The prototype is a modified Nerf gun that has a camera on the front of it using Artificial Intelligence (AI) that detects if a gun is pointed at a person, animal or any other target. If the gun is aimed at a crowd of people or even just a single person, the gun limits the amount of times the trigger is able to be pulled. The students responsible for developing the prototype are a part of a program DiscoverStem. They are juniors Hanin Shakeel, Hawwa Shahid, Salwa Shahid, in addition to seniors Rehan, Amina Syeda, Nabeeha Qazi, Areeba Qazi, and Rayyan Punjani Hanin Shakeel, as well as two students who have already graduated, Mohammad Amaan Jaffar and Faaiz Nadeem. In this program, students identify major problems that affect the world today and find solutions to fix them.

“We decided to create the SecureGun after our team saw the horrors of mass shootings in Las Vegas, as well as in Florida at Parkland High School,” Areeba said. “We wanted to do something to prevent these atrocities from happening in the first place.”

For the final product, the students plan to have a Global Positioning System (GPS) placed on the gun.

“The prototype consists of three main parts: the camera that uses an AI algorithm, depth sensors, the GPS and the tamper proof mechanism,” Areeba said. “By combining these three parts, we created an overarching algorithm that will allow the gun to evaluate its situation and intelligently make decisions.”

Rehan described each part of the prototype in detail and what each part specifically will do for gun safety.

“The AI camera in the prototype was developed by feeding it thousands of pre categorized images of animals safe to shoot, and unarmed people unsafe to shoot,” Rehan said. “After giving it a set of images to compare with the algorithm found patterns in the two cases, allowing it to then autonomously recognize whether what is pointed toward is safe or unsafe to shoot at.”

Rehan emphasized the importance of the depth sensor and GPS on the gun.

“The depth sensor prohibits someone from just holding up an image of an animal and then shooting,” Rehan said. “We plan to further train the algorithm to recognize more complex situations like an armed person or an officer to better the application of it. The GPS uses the pinpoint location of the gun to check if the gun is in a gun free zone such as a park, school or public venue. We plan to also have Geo fences built around these places to help limit the guns ability to shoot.”

The GSM has also provided the students with the ability to develop technology that will prevent the gun user from being able to take off the security features.

“The GSM prohibits tampering of the gun using current to check if it is being altered,” Rehan said. “If it senses a change in current it will alert the local authorities of the gun and its location.”

Although the students are hopeful this prototype will ultimately lead to a positive impact on decreasing the amount of gun violence in schools as well as in the world in general, they are aware they must work hard to get everybody on board with this idea.

“People already understand the negative implications that are onset upon our society by guns,” Rehan said. “The key to getting responsible gun owners on board is allowing them to preserve their rights while making the necessary additions to ensure the safety of all humanity. Explaining to them how we can use technology to do this I feel they will come to a consensus and be on board with using some technological advances to help limit the negative impacts of guns.”

Inspired film creator Ethan Glanger is a talented junior that roams the hallways unseen and unheard, but his videos speak louder than words. With just a camera, GoPro and imagination Glanger is one of the few aspiring videographers who stand out. He creates a magical scene with his keen eye for beauty and the perfect photo, utilizing his skills to create his masterpieces that he shows the world through his eyes.

“I got my first camera when I was twelve,” Glanger said. “And my gopro for my 14th birthday, it was a huge deal for me since I had recently been introduced to videography.”

Three years later his talents exceed any ordinary expectations for a 17 year old. After all, he could have been just a kid with a camera, but instead he continues to impress his peers.

“My whole family was into film,” Glanger said. “I started playing with my aunts camera and realized it sparked my interest.”

Travel and natural beauty are recurring themes in many of Glanger’s videos. As seen on his Instagram page he has visited many places like New Mexico, Colorado and Isla Mujeres.

“My favorite video was made in Isla Mujeres, Mexico,” Glanger said. “Not many people have been there before and it was cool to show off the location in a unique style.”

His process is either long and thoughtful, or sometimes he has an idea he creates right then and there.

“Most of the time when I create videos they are on the spot projects,” Glanger said. “As in I take my camera out and start filming and put music behind edited footage.”

His films come to life through hard work and passion. Glanger’s camera skills and eye for beauty helps him create his visual art.

“If I get an idea for a film I have wanted to create for a while,” Glanger said. “I storyboard it in my head first and go from there.”

His videos feature him or his co-creators exploring the beauty of the world around them. The landscapes, environment and all other aspects he captures are taken after finding inspiration along the way.

“The setting I am in has a major impact on the type of videos I make,” Glanger said. “I will make a fast paced film if I am skateboarding or something but if I am in a beautiful location like Italy or Iceland I will make it more visually pleasing.”

Many colleges all over the world offer scholarships for film and videos that students like Glanger create. However he has other ideas for his future in film.

“I am hoping that I can continue to create videos and take photos for either companies or artists in the future,” Glanger said. “I want to make a career of travelling for it.”

For Glanger, the inspiration to create videos come easily, and the interaction from his viewers makes it worthwhile.

“It is very rewarding when I get to see the response people make on my videos,” Glanger said. “The best part of that is when I inspire a person to pursue something in their life, which is always the ultimate goal.”

What people do does not always define them, but in this case, it does. Glanger is able to utilize his art to inspire, create and show people how he feels.

“My films define parts of who I am because they show how I lived a moment through my eyes,” Glanger said. “My main goal is for someone to watch my creations and get inspiration to do something they have always wanted to do.”

All across the country, multiple Planned Parenthood’s have been shut down and defunded due to pro-life activists in the government and extremists- but this should not be happening and here is why:

Planned Parenthood clinics provide advice, contraceptives and family planning to low income families and women in need. It provides security and plans to help people who have less education than others and accessible health care, sometimes free depending on a family’s income. They not only provide reduced rates of contraceptives, but also help improve equality and independence among women and men all over the world. Their mission statement reads, “Our Mission. To empower individuals to make independent, informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive lives, we provide information and health care, and promote public policies that make those services available to all. Planning is power.” Established over a hundred years ago, these clinics now face shut-downs and defunding due to extremists and anti-abortion politicians.

One of the most frequently asked questions is “Why is Planned Parenthood so important?” The answer is because it provides reliable healthcare and options for people who have no other provider, in parts of the world where Planned Parenthood exists, more than 20% do not have any other access to healthcare. Shutting these clinics down would face people with absolutely no healthcare or informative knowledge to start a family, according to IStandWithPlannedParenthood.org, more than 2.4 million people would lose access to healthcare if they were shut down.

The biggest deal to most people in respect to Planned Parenthood is the issue of abortions. Many pro-life activists believe that an abortion is the original sin and that those who do it are killing a living child. People are fully allowed to have their opinion and religious beliefs, but it should be known that Planned Parenthood’s abortion services only make up three percent of what they do. Planned Parenthood allows women to have contraception at very affordable prices to prevent unexpected and unwanted pregnancies, shutting them down would increase the risk of teenage pregnancies. Many teenage moms never graduate from high school, and every 3 in 10 American girls will get pregnant at least once before the age of 20.

There are about 650 Planned Parenthood clinics in the U.S. as of right now, but that number will soon be decreasing as activists fight more and extremists become more radical. These clinics are very important to women’s healthcare all over the globe and keeping them will help millions of families who face low income, poverty and unaccessible healthcare. Planned Parenthood stands for power and the nation should recognize that.